Russia aims to establish a commercial logistics hub by mid-July at one of two berths in the naval base it leases in the Syrian port of Tartous, while retaining a military presence at the other berth, according to Syrian officials. The facility is intended to handle a variety of Russian goods such as wheat, grains, animal feed, vegetable oils, timber, steel, clinker, coal, rice, sugar, and mineral oils, with initial cargo volumes targeted at approximately 250,000 tons per month.

The project is viewed by Russian and Syrian sources as a strategic effort to maintain and extend Russia’s influence in Syria through economic means following the 2024 overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad, who had been a close ally of Moscow. Since Assad’s departure, Syria has pursued closer ties with Western and Gulf countries while sustaining economic and military cooperation with Russia. The initiative is taking shape amid a broader contest for influence in Syria, with the United States seeking to encourage Damascus to award contracts to Western firms and to limit Moscow’s military footprint.

The proposed logistics hub is being developed by Syrian logistics company Rus Line in collaboration with Russian businesses under the Russian-Syrian Business Council, a body linked to Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade. Project managers describe an arrangement in which Syria’s Sovereign Fund—a state investment vehicle—would co-manage the center. The hub is slated to operate from Pier No. 4 at Tartous port, located within a restricted zone of the naval base, with the second berth remaining dedicated to Russian naval operations.

The plan was reportedly discussed during a January 28 meeting in Moscow between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Syrian officials have described as a turning point for economic cooperation. Speaking about the project, Rus Line’s general manager Ossama Ajaj emphasized efforts to reestablish regular shipping lines between Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk and Tartous, facilitating trade routes to Syria and neighboring countries. Key export destinations include Iraq and Jordan, followed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.

However, Syrian authorities have publicly denied that Russia intends to operate such a commercial logistics hub at Tartous. Mazen Alloush, spokesman for Syria’s General Authority for Ports and Customs, described reports of the project as “entirely false,” noting that any agreements related to port operations would be released only via official government channels.

The background to the project includes shifts in port management: in 2025, the Syrian government canceled a 49-year contract with Russian company Stroytransgaz to develop commercial facilities at Tartous. The port was subsequently awarded to the United Arab Emirates’ DP World under a 30-year, $800 million concession agreement.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment in detail but confirmed ongoing discussions with Syria regarding the possible “reformatting” of its military facilities in the country. Moscow has maintained a naval base at Tartous since the 1970s and a military airbase at Hmeimim since its intervention in Syria began in 2015 to support Assad’s government during the civil conflict.

The logistics hub, if operational, would enhance Russia’s already significant economic role in Syria, where around 85 percent of wheat imports come from Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea. Syrian reliance on Russian crude oil has also increased, with shipments totaling nearly 17 million barrels in 2025 and continued deliveries in 2026.

An intelligence source familiar with a confidential report from Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, indicated that Moscow aims to bolster economic actors capable of reinforcing its influence in Syria through increased support and investment. The evolving project at Tartous thus represents a blend of military and economic strategies amid shifting regional dynamics.